Ferry Services to Lower Manhattan Try to Replace PATH Service
The company called New York Waterway Ferry provides ferry services across New York Harbor. It established commuter services to supplement the PATH rail system in 1986.
At the time of the disaster, veteran commuters wondered where ferry services would land in order to get people into the Lower Manhattan area. Until September 11, most ferry service to Lower Manhattan landed at the World Financial Center, south of the New York Mercantile Exchange building and west of the base of Building 4. NY Waterway has announced that it will provide service to Pier 11, the pier directly south of South Street Seaport. Pier 11 is on the east side of Manhattan island, at the foot of Wall Street.
Apparently, NY Waterway had service running into Pier 11 prior to the disaster. However, this was not their typical service from New Jersey because it is a significant distance further from Harborside in Jersey City, Hoboken, and Weehawken than their landing at the World Financial Center.
One of the questions that has arisen among New Yorkers is whether the remaining mass transit services will be sufficient to carry the number of workers who live in New Jersey and work in Lower Manhattan. The key remaining services are as follows:
- NJ Transit and AMTRAK service to Penn Station (33rd and 8th Avenue)
- PATH Rail service from Newark, Jersey City, and Hoboken to 33rd Street and 7th Avenue
- NY Waterway Ferry from Jersey City, Hoboken, and Weehawken to Pier 11
- Passenger bus services to Port Authority Bus Terminal , 41st Street and 8th Avenue
These services were quite full prior to the disaster. Many people wonder whether more trains and busses can be run through these terminals, to make up the deficit associated with the loss of the PATH World Trade Center station. Another issue is whether there will be an immediate reduction in the number of commuters needing to get from New Jersey to Lower Manhattan. Answers to these questions are not readily apparent at this time.